On the night of the Ballon d’Or ceremony, Inter Milan’s presence was felt strongly with three stars among the stars, showcasing the club’s current value in Europe. Among those names was Nerazzurri midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu’s. Despite being sidelined due to an adductor injury sustained in the match against Roma, Calhanoglu’s spirits remained high. He missed the Young Boys Champions League match and the crucial derby against Juventus, which he watched from the stands. The Turkish midfielder is set to miss the upcoming match against Empoli but is expected to return for the game against Venezia next Sunday.
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Calhanoglu expressed his feelings about representing Inter at the prestigious Ballon d’Or event:
“It’s a great, very great pride. I’m happy and proud at the same time, for myself but also for Lautaro and Sommer who are here with me. We represent Inter in such an important event, and we try to do it in the best way possible. There are three of us, but next year I hope the number of Nerazzurri present will be even larger. It would mean we had a very important season.”
When asked about Inter’s standing among the world’s top clubs, Calhanoglu confidently stated:
“We’ve proven to be important players in a very important club that continues to be at the top in Europe. Moreover, I believe Inter is among the five strongest teams in the world today, I’m quite sure of that.”
Regarding the recent Inter-Juventus match, which he missed due to injury, Calhanoglu commented:
“I think the team played a good game. For us, the challenge with Juventus is like a derby, and derbies are always unpredictable, both on the field and in the result.”
He praised Zielinski’s performance, especially his two penalty goals, jokingly adding, “I’m happy because it means there’s someone else who can take penalties instead of me.”
When asked about his return from injury, Calhanoglu optimistically replied:
“Soon, very soon. I think I’ll be available again by Sunday.”
